


And the Winner Is

by dancinbutterfly



Category: Entourage
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-12-25
Updated: 2007-12-25
Packaged: 2018-01-25 06:20:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1636154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dancinbutterfly/pseuds/dancinbutterfly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Vincent Chase's experiences with awards shows over the years. E/Vince. General spoilers for anything in Season 4.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And the Winner Is

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry if there's mistake. It was a last minute Yuletide Treat. :D  
> Thanks: Kaci, Ashley, and Julie for the patience/beta.
> 
> Written for Scribewraith

 

 

2001

Vince's first awards show is a behind the scenes affair. He's one of the guys who walks the famous people off stage at the Teen Choice Awards. 

It's not the most dignified thing in the world but Ari says that it's networking and Vince needs networking since he hasn't had a paying industry job since that spot on JAG. He just stands there, looks pretty, and shows men and women with actual careers where to go.

That's the first time he meets Jessica. She's still doing the James Cameron show back then and she's a low enough level celebrity that afterwards, she stays to hang out.

Or rather, she gets him in to the after party. A lot of the people he meets there don't look at him twice if they're not giving him a predatory once over. 

Jessica keeps her fingers laced in his and whispers anecdotes in his ear about this person and that person. She's engaged to her costar who was nominated but he's got a kid and has to leave early.

Even though she's taken, he likes her, a lot. She reminds him of his mother - if his mom was soft spoken and painfully hot. 

"And one day," she says confidently, "we're going to be bigger than anyone here, Vince."

"How can you tell? You haven't even seen me act."

"You don't need to act. You've got the look and the charm. It's just a matter of time."

She kisses him on the cheek and beams up at him. She's tiny and she's the first real friend he's made in L.A. Sure he's got Johnny and Turtle but Jessica is the first person on the West Coast to make him feel half as comfortable as he felt in Queens and almost as free to talk as he does with E.

"Does Michael know how lucky he is?"

She grins even wider, which shouldn't be possible. "He's mentioned it once or twice. Come on, I've got a few more people I want you to meet."

She introduces him to Shane West. He's a cool guy, if a little bit more Hollywood than Vince. Jessica slips away to call her fiancé leaving him alone with Shane, who's a little drunk and talking about the movie he's getting ready to start with that pop singer who did the song "Candy." Vince has no idea who that is but he nods and makes pleasant conversation, asking Shane to put in a good word and see if there's any room for him in the film.

Shane laughs and slaps Vince on the back and says, yeah. Of course he'll talk to someone about it. He'd probably be good as one of Landon's friends, he says. 

Vince just smiles and sips at his drink. He doesn't really believe him but still. It's a nice thing to hear. And just look at where you are, he thinks. You're so close.

Just a little farther. That's all he needs to get - just a little father. 

~*~*~

2003

He goes to the Nickelodeon Kid's Choice awards because for once he's been invited. It's his first invite to any awards show and it's the first that's come up since E's moved out to LA. Turtle doesn't want to go - not enough booze and too many underage girls - and Drama's got an engagement with a Viking Quest fan who's hired him to work a party for the night so it's just him and E. 

He's up for some segment where the kids have voted to see who's the Newest Heartthrob or something like that, which is freaking embarrassing as hell. But still, an award's an award and screen time is screen time, so long as he doesn't do anything stupid or embarrassing, Shauna qualifies. 

He doesn't win, but that's okay. It's entertaining and E keeps this running, sarcastic commentary throughout.

Besides, he thinks it's funny to see E mingle with the kids and teenagers afterwards. He's shorter than that heavy kid from the Amanda Show but the two of them are carrying out an animated and strangely loud conversation. 

He's tempted to make a sarcastic comment just to get the attention back his way but the kid is actually making E laugh, full out, tears in his eyes laugh. The kid keeps working the joke and E laughs harder, one arm reaching to grab Vince's elbow as his knees went weak from how funny he finds this guy. 

Vince can't even remember the last time E laughed like that sober. He stands there, looking down at E who is clinging to him and nearly splitting his sides at whatever Jake or John or whatever his name is had said. He realizes that even before he left for LA, it's not something E did very often. He kind of wishes he were the one who could have gotten E to laugh like that but mostly he thinks it's nice to see.

He wonders for the millionth time what took E so fucking long to come out. He's happier here. Vince is sure of it - even with that psycho bitch he's dating.

It's not the pizza thing. He doesn't give a shit what E ended up doing for cash and he thinks that in any other universe, E probably would have eventually gotten a business degree and opened some sort of small business in the old neighborhood.

But this is the universe where he can act. And in this universe, there's Southern California and E belongs in it.

On the red carpet afterwards, Vince feels antsy. Something's coming. He doesn't know what, but it's something big. He's sure of it. The last time he felt like this, he heard from Shane's people about Walk to Remember. 

E's wiping his eyes and when he lets go of Vince's elbow, he comes back into reality. The big kid is now flanked by a smaller, paler counterpart with red hair. They're talking with E, about something - he wasn't listening so he thinks it might be music - and then E says "Yeah, well best friends are funny things."

"Yeah?" Vince asks. "How am I funny?"

"Not haha funny. Just funny."

The big kid and the redhead both look at them, then at each other, then shrug. And Vince sees what E saw and shakes his own head. He remembers being their age. He bets that even with all the money they're making out here - off camera, they won't raise half the hell he, E, and Turtle raised back in the day. E smiles at him in silent agreement.

~*~*~

2007

It's all about _Aquaman_. He doesn't go to the Oscars that February because he's not nominated and also because he's still a little frustrated what with the Ari bullshit. Instead he and the boys watch intently as it plays out on the big screen because Cameron's team is up for every special effects and design Oscar there is.

"I can't believe you didn't get an Oscar, Vince," Turtle quips as the supporting actress award is handed down. "You were fucking awesome."

"They never give them out for superhero flicks, Turtle," E replies. He and Sloan are on the opposite end of the couch, the fingers of his right hand combing through her long black hair.

"Next time," she says. "You'll get it, Vince. Just be patient."

Vince likes Sloan. He likes her warmth and her kindness and how happy she makes E. Most of all, he likes that she likes him - genuinely. When Sloan's around, the only thing that changes is that E moves so that he can be physically close to her. Other than that, it's pretty normal.

If she's the one E finally decides to settle down with, Vince'll be okay with that. He won't be happy on that eventual day when E moves out but if it's with a girl like Sloan, who's smart and understanding and just flat out cool - he'll deal.

Medellín would have put him up on that stage. He's sure of it. At this stage in the game, they're still agent shopping. E's leaning towards this chick Amanda but Vince still isn't sure. He doesn't like making decisions, especially not about important things. 

He can. And he will. He just doesn't want to.

No one outside his boys seem to react well to the decisions he makes anyway. _Queens Boulevard_ , _Aquaman II_ , _Medellín_ , the Hollywood Foreign Press junket just to name a few. 

So he decides not to decide anything right now as watches Al Pacino walk on stage on the screen. And he thinks that maybe, if they do go with that Amanda chick, she can get him in a Pacino film. 

~*~*~

2008

Johnny's going to win. Vince is sure of it.

Okay, he's not really but he wants to be. He wants to be positive that Drama's gonna get the Emmy he's been working for over fifteen years in this business. 

Johnny went with Jacqueline so the three of them are staying home but that's good. He likes it better this way. Johnny doesn't need to share the spotlight with him - not tonight.

The host is unfunny and unimpressive but the spoof of Five Towns in the intro is funny and Jacqueline makes Johnny look good just by sitting beside him. And it's not because she's gorgeous, though she is. "Way the fuck out of Drama's league," Turtle claims every time there's a picture or clip of them together. 

No, Jacqueline genuinely likes and wants his brother. Vince has worked with a lot of actors in his time and he doesn't think she's acting. She just really digs him. And how much she cares does great things for Johnny.

They all smoke as they watch because whether or not any of them want to admit it, they're nervous. Not as nervous as Johnny, who looks like he's sweating bullets every time the camera pans over to him. But still. They're all invested in this. Johnny's been shot down so many times that they need it almost as bad as he does. 

But supporting actor is one of the first awards of the night and they all hold their breath as the tall, gorgeous girl from Grey's Anatomy pulls the envelope open. 

"And the award goes to," she's smiling as she leans down to the microphone, "Johnny Chase, Five Towns."

The three of them are cheering so loud they can't hear the applause from the TV but Johnny's face is fucking priceless. Vince is glad E set the DVR, cause that face, man. They're going to stick that face up on YouTube. It's hilarious - like a cow about to be hit by an oncoming truck. 

They're all holding their breath as he makes his way to the podium. Johnny's sabotaged himself enough times in the last decade that Vince doesn't think any of them can stand to see him do it again - here.

But Johnny beams brightly as he takes the Emmy. He thanks Ma, and Ed Burns, and his cast and crew. He thanks Lloyd and Jacqueline then he looks straight at the camera like only someone who has spent most of his adult like chasing them could. And Vince looks back. "And last but not least, I'd like to thank my guys, especially my brother. Thanks for believin' in me bro. I couldn't have done it without you."

And now Vince is the one grinning. An ear to ear smile so big it hurts his face. 

"You gotta mention him in your speech now," Turtle says. 

"What speech?" Vince asked, confused.

"Your Oscar speech, Vin. Duh."

"Let's just get to the Golden Globes," E mutters. Vince thinks the thing with _Medellín_ is why he's so twitchy now that shooting on his latest movie. He's irritable and jumpy and he probably will be until he sees the director's first cut. 

Vince rolls his eyes at Turtle and ferrets for his cell phone. Johnny's due a congratulations message. The kind that's really embarrassing and may even involve singing. Vince laughs as he hits Johnny's number on his speed dial. 

~*~*~

2011

He takes Jessica to the Golden Globes and he is a fucking awful date. She's single again and she's understanding, but all Vince wants to do is go home and watch the fucking thing on TV with E. Or better, for E to be the guy sitting beside him in the audience. 

What he's got with E has lasted longer than he's ever been with anyone in his life. They've been together a little more than a year - if he counted from that first kiss last Christmas, which Vince knew E did. 

That kiss was supposed to be a joke. Lloyd had ambushed them with mistletoe at the small Christmas family party they were throwing - which Turtle had been forbidden to help plan. They'd done it because in the safety their own home, with people could trust, Lloyd had quadruple dog dared them and E wasn't the kind of guy who could back off a dare. It had been a peck, quick and closed mouthed and they laughed it off for all of two hours, before they came together explosively in Vince's bedroom.

He thinks about that night a lot. He thinks about the need, the desperation, the feel of E's hands on his hips and E's lips on his neck. He remembers how for once in his life, everything felt right and the urge to cut and run wasn't lurking under the surface. He remembers wondering why they didn't do it sooner, why they wasted so much fucking time not fucking. But he knows now that they both needed to grow up, at least a little, before they could get where they are. 

For his part, Vince doesn't count from that night. He counted from the day he met E back in 1984. For him this relationship's been going solid for more than twenty-five years and he's good. 

In fact, he's more than good. He's set. As far as he's concerned, he's done for the rest of his life. He found the person he was meant to spend his life with in kindergarten, which made everything else that much less complicated. If he thought for one second that E would say yes, he'd propose right now. He's that far gone. 

Taking all that into account, he shouldn't be at the fucking Golden Globes with Jessica. He should be here with E. 

"Vince," Jessica says softly. "You need to chill out a little. You're kind of hurting me."

Vince immediately relaxes his grip on her arm and she smiles at him. 

"Better."

"I'm sorry." He mutters as they make their way to their seats.

"Don't sweat it," she says with a smile. "I understand."

And the thing is, she really does. She is one of his oldest, most trusted friends in this business and outside of Turtle, Drama, Ari and Shauna - she knows more than anything about what was going on. She's kind and warm and more often than not has pretty decent advice. Also, she looks so freaking hot in the blue dress she's wearing.

But he doesn't want to look at cleavage, no matter how spectacular it is. He wants to see freckles and red hair when he looks to his right. 

"I'm pathetic," Vince groans, cringing at his own line of thought. It's like it was with Mandy only more. Deeper. Stronger, and more stable but no less consuming. 

"Yeah, but it's cute."

"I don't want to win," he whispers, his lips brushing against her ear. It's a good image. If the paparazzi snap a picture it looks like he's biting or kissing it. E'll be happy. Shauna'll be down right giddy. "I don't want to go up there if I can't...thank him."

"You can," she whispers back. "Just...be careful what you say. That's all."

Vince sits back in his seat and sighs heavily. He's so very fucking over being careful. 

When Leo says his name, Vince actually deflates. It's the first time in his life he's ever been upset that he won something.

~*~*~

2013

They fight before they leave the house they pretended not to share. Forty years old and they still end up yelling and cursing when things get knockdown-drag out. E is still the only person who he's ever really yelled at and that's because he usually shouts right back. 

"We already decided I have to take Anne-"

"This is the Oscars, E. What next? How long are we going to keep going like this? I love you, you asshole. It's been three years and you still have your own place. I'm fucking sick of hiding!"

"And I'm not? Jesus, Vince, I'm tired of the cloak and dagger shit too. But your career-"

"Fuck. My. Career." Vince growls, anger making his face hot. "Fuck fucking everything, E. Fuck everything that's not you and me."

"It's not that simple."

"Yeah, it is."

E crosses his arms over his chest and he should not look that good all pissy. Vince is pretty sure it's the tux. "Look, if you're going to be like this, I'm going to stay home."

"Don't be a fucking girl, E. If I'd wanted one of those I'd have married Jessica ten years ago."

E glares at him and his hands fist in the fabric of his jacket. It's a move that gives away just how angry he really is that he's feeling the urge to pop Vince one.

"You're going to do something stupid," E says with a sigh. "I can already fucking tell. Grow up, Vince."

"Not until we have kids," he snaps sharply. It's an old fight that he hasn't gotten close to winning yet. 

"Jesus, Vince, not again, not now. We can't-"

He grabs E's lapels and pulls him in for a kiss. It's the last he's going to get until they get home and even angry, E yields, his arms unfolding and sliding around his back. He tastes like wine and the chicken they had for dinner and E. It's enough.

At least it is until Robert DeNiro opens the envelope and says his name into the microphone. For a second, the world stops turning. Then all of a sudden it's moving at fifteen times its regular speed and he's more alive that he's ever been in his life. 

Vince doesn't think. He just turns to his right, grabs E's face in his hands and kisses him because that is the only thing that can make this moment better. And it does. It sends an extra rush of electricity through his already supercharged body.

He's breathless as he climbs the stage and he stares at a theater full of people and finds E in the crowd, shell-shocked and slack jawed. He can tell from the silence that falls as he approaches the microphone that the kiss was all over the huge monitors which are now behind him. 

So fuck it. He's got forty-five seconds and he's going to say what he wants. 

Oscar gripped firmly in one hand he says, "Everyone involved in this film is amazing, and I want to thank them all. But I want to say something real fast - when I was a kid, my best friend told me I should try out for the school play and I've been doing what I love ever since. You got me here, E. All this is what is because of you and I want to say thank you for the last thirty years. You're the reason I'm here, E. I know you didn't want me to do this but you're my reason, so thank you." 

He doesn't hear the applause. All Vince can focus on is E's face. He's shaking his head but damn it, damn it all, he's smiling. 

 


End file.
